Left: The Canadian Raptor Conservancy’s birds of prey were a star attraction at the Earth Day celebration
Right: A young visitor playing the seed matching game at the Kitchener Bee City display table.

What was most exciting for Bee City Canada however, was that we had the honour of recognizing two new Bee Cities, Kitchener and Waterloo! During a brief ceremony attended by members of each community, Bee City Canada’s founder Shelly Candel offered special thanks to Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic and Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky for their support and leadership in protecting pollinators! She also recognized municipal champions Joshua Shea, Natural Areas Coordinator for Kitchener and Peggy Stevens, Environmental Stewardship Coordinator for Waterloo, as well as the working group champions who volunteer their time and passion to help protect pollinators in their respective communities.

This was Bee City Kitchener’s first public event and the booth included a seed matching game, educational information and some beautiful photos of native pollinators and plants! The City of Kitchener became Ontario’s 7th Bee City and is undertaking some exciting bee-friendly initiatives all around the city, including a 2018 project that will see eight hectares of meadow habitat restored and enhanced.

Left to right: Nicola Thomas, Kim Fellows, Nancy Dykstra and Kathy Waybrant, four of our Bee City Kitchener Working Group Members.

Schools are buzzing! Gardens were planted, seeds were saved and young minds at our six Bee Schools and one Bee Campus learned many important things about bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Much Anticipation for 2018

Our plans for the new year include some exciting, new initiatives.

More Bee Communities – Keep Bee City growing by adding:

10 new Bee Cities

50 Bee Businesses and organizations, and

20 new Bee Schools and Campuses.

New initiatives:

Launch a free regional native seed giveaway program for all Bee Cities and other members.

Establish six edible and pollinator gardens at schools.

Organize workshops and field trips to connect students with how food is grown.

Host free public webinars featuring experts on pollinators and other subjects.

Support our Work

As a charitable organization, our work depends on the generosity of our donors and sponsors. We are confident that, with your help, we can continue to support these initiatives and advocate for the protection of pollinators across Canada.

We close off by wholeheartedly thanking you, our friends across Canada and elsewhere, for your continued support and commitment to our cherished pollinators. 2018 promises to be another busy year and we look forward to it with much anticipation.

We are very excited to declare T’it’q’et First Nation, located along the Fraser River and home to the P’egp’ig’lha People, as a Bee City!

Part of the Band Council’s adoption of the resolutions included a requirement that youth members will always sit on their Bee City working group.

After their first official meeting it was decided that, in fact, the youth members would lead the team.

Their relationship to the land is of utmost importance to them, and in honour of that the P’egp’ig’lha People use organic ways of gardening and agriculture. They have declared their land pesticide free, making it part of their commitment to sharing their wisdom throughout the Bee City family.

T’it’q’et was put on the path of becoming a Bee City by Shawn Scotchman, the community’s Social Development Coordinator.

“Our community felt it would be a great capacity building project for our youth to take charge of this project,” Shawn told us.

He went on to say that further partnerships with 1st Lillooet Scouts and local schools are being considered .

“Our youth leaders just might influence one or both of our schools to become Bee City Canada Schools!”

What a great way to engage even more young people!

Lakota James at the Health & Science Career Fair, Hosted by Xwisten (formally Bridge River Band) and T’it’q’et Education Coordinators on March 22, 2017 in the P’egp’ig’lha Community Center. For school aged children.

The Team

Cynthia Adrian – Youth Member

Cynthia became an environmental activist in high school. “I would save every little thing. I would save boxes and baggies, because I could find a use for them. It started with recycling and reusing. I wanted to learn how to grow food, live sustainably, save the Earth, and the water. It was a couple years ago, when I learned about the bees. And I made it my mission to tell anyone who would listen, mostly the daycare children where I worked. I taught them the difference between a wasp and a bee, and how bees do not want to harm us. I watched the bees on the sunflowers all summer. I want to help our Earth. I want to learn as much as I can, and teach it to our communities. Our plants and our source of food depend on the bees. I want to help save them.”

Lakota James – Youth Member

Lakota is the committee’s Secretary and Communication person. “I am interested because I’d like to learn more about how I can help. Helping the bees will play a big roll with our environment. Last year I saw a commercial about saving the bees and I’ve wanted to do something for them since. Getting out and helping and planning projects or activities to help will bring me joy and happiness knowing I made a difference.”

Shawn Scotchman

Shawn is a big fan of pollinators and has been following the Bee City programs for some time. In addition to working with his community to initiate their transition to a Bee City, he generously offered his assistance and expertise to help Bee City develop more inclusive application and resolution documents.

Shawn Scotchman will be the group’s Treasure and Finance officer “I created a small budget to help get this project up and running.

Matthew Davidson

Mathew is a horticulturalist and will be the team’s Science and Technical Specialist. He works at Amlec Organic .

Adam Lingor

Adam is also a horticulturalist and manages the Ucwalmicw Center Society’s Organic Community Garden. He will work closely with Matthew.

Susan Napoleon

Susan is T’it’q’et’s Education Coordinator. Her specialty is Indigenous plants that have been traditionally used for food and medicine. We are excited to share her plant lists and wisdom throughout St’at’imc territory and beyond at BeeCityCanada.org

Thanks to all of you!

We are filled with gratitude to the P’egp’ig’lha for protecting and celebrating pollinators.